Gateway-facilitated communications for resource-constrained devices

Abstract

A network-connected object for performing a function and communicating with a server computing device via a network includes a functional object, application-specific input/output (I/O) device, and a gateway device. The functional object is configured to perform a function. The application-specific I/O device includes an electronic circuit configured to perform an application-specific function related to the functional object. The gateway device includes a first communication device configured for data communication with the application-specific I/O device, a second communication device configured for data communication with the server computing device, at least one processing device, and at least one computer readable storage device. The gateway device is configured to receive a command and a profile identifier from the application-specific I/O device, determine a client identification key associated with the profile identifier, and transmit the command with the client identification key to the server computing device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A network-connected object for performing a function and communicating with a server computing device via a network, the network-connected object comprising:
 a functional object, the functional object being configured to perform a function; 
 an application-specific input/output (I/O) device, comprising:
 an electronic circuit configured to perform an application-specific function related to the functional object; and 
 
 a gateway device, comprising:
 a first communication device configured for data communication with the application-specific I/O device; 
 a second communication device configured for data communication with the server computing device; 
 at least one processing device that is configured to control the gateway device; and 
 at least one computer readable data storage device storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing device, cause the gateway device to:
 receive using the first communication device an activation command from the application-specific I/O device, the activation command including a device identifier; 
 transmit using the second communication device the activation command to the server computing device; 
 receive using the second communication device a response to the activation command from the server computing device; and 
 transmit using the first communication device the profile identifier to the application-specific I/O device. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The network-connected object of  claim 1 , wherein the response includes a client identification key for the application-specific I/O device; and the at least one computer readable data storage device storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing device, further cause the gateway device to:
 store the client identification key; and 
 store an association between the client identification key and a profile identifier. 
 
     
     
       3. The network-connected object of  claim 2 , wherein the client identification key associates the application-specific I/O device with a profile on the server computing device. 
     
     
       4. The network-connected object of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one computer readable data storage device storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing device, further cause the gateway device to:
 transmit using the first communication device the client identification key to the application-specific I/O device. 
 
     
     
       5. The network-connected object of  claim 1 , wherein the gateway device assigns the profile identifier. 
     
     
       6. The network-connected object of  claim 1 , wherein the application-specific I/O device specifies the profile identifier, and the activation command includes the profile identifier. 
     
     
       7. The network-connected object of  claim 1 , wherein the first communication device uses at least one of Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART), Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) communication technology, and Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) bus for data communication with the application-specific I/O device. 
     
     
       8. The network-connected object of  claim 1 , wherein the second communication device uses Internet Protocol (IP) for communication with the server computing device. 
     
     
       9. The network-connected object of  claim 1 , wherein the second communication device uses at least one of Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and Constrained Application Protocol (CoAP) for communication with the server computing device. 
     
     
       10. The network-connected object of  claim 1 , wherein the application-specific function determines a status of the functional object. 
     
     
       11. The network-connected object of  claim 1 , wherein the application-specific function controls the functional object. 
     
     
       12. The network-connected object of  claim 1 , wherein the application-specific function measures a parameter of the functional object. 
     
     
       13. The network-connected object of  claim 1 , further comprising a battery device. 
     
     
       14. The network-connected object of  claim 1 , further comprising a local communication device configured for data communication with a second network-connected object. 
     
     
       15. The network-connected object of  claim 14 , wherein the local communication device uses mesh networking to communication with the second network-connected object. 
     
     
       16. The network-connected object of  claim 1 , wherein the device identifier comprises values associated with the vendor, model, and serial number of the application-specific I/O device. 
     
     
       17. The network-connected object of  claim 1 , wherein the gateway device uses at least one of wired or wireless technology for data communication with the server computing device. 
     
     
       18. The network-connected object of  claim 1 , wherein the application-specific I/O device is a resource-constrained device.